Fragments Of A Life
by The Cat's Paw
Summary: A routine mission to Tea Country has them stumbling across someone long thought dead. Blind and unknowing of who he is, can Sakura help to heal Shisui, in mind, body, and heart? Amnesia fic, Shisui X Sakura. T rated.
1. Chapter 1

**Sooo… I've been up all night. ;) I was writing a fic that I intended to make a Shisui X Sakura pairing, but it got away from me and turned into a non pairing one. Now I don't know what the heck to do with it. (pout) So I put it aside for the moment, and just started writing this. Initially I was going to make it small chapters, like Time And Space Are Relative. But I ended up putting what I had into one chapter, up to the two thousand words or so point. This one is _definitely_ a Shisui and Sakura pairing one. I can honestly say I'm really liking these two in a pairing.**

 **In any case, a standard disclaimer that I don't own any recognisable places and people, and please enjoy! :)**

 _ **Fragments Of A Life**_

 **Chapter One**

" _Natsuki? Kaito? Where are you?"_

 _He stumbled forward, not knowing what was going on. He cursed the fact that he couldn't see, because he_ had no eyes _as he tried to_ listen _. Where was everyone? All he'd been able to hear so far were odd sounds that made no sense. There had been crashes, then the sound of things shooting through the air, then nothing. No animal sounds, no human voices, just the wind._

 _He was alone. The man who couldn't remember anything, not even his own name, sunk to the floor, terrified for the first time since he'd first woken up ten years ago. Back then, he'd been fumbling around not only in the literal darkness, but figurative as well. If Inoue-san hadn't found him, then who knows what would have happened to him?_

 _And then there was Natsuki and Kaito, Inoue-san's two children. They were the same age as him, if their guess about his age was correct. The twins had accepted him readily, despite his handicap. They'd even been the ones to choose his name, since he couldn't remember his own. Now, he was Mitsuo. At least, until he one day remembered his own name, if he ever did._

 _It took a day before Mitsuo heard anyone, and when he did, it was Natsuki calling to him. With a smile of relief, he went towards her voice, only to…_

Wake up.

The one who was called Mitsuo awoke with a start, eyes shooting open, though he saw _nothing_. Groaning, he held his hand to his head, trying to dispel the desperation and feeling of being alone that the dream had triggered. It had been a year, a year since everyone but him had been dragged up into… whatever that thing was. Kaito had told him it was a tree, and that they'd seen their dreams come true in the cocoons that had enveloped them.

Sighing, Mitsuo stood and went about his morning routine. Today, some shinobi were arriving from Konohagakure, in the land of Fire. A mission request had been sent to them, to help deal with some bandits that had taken up nearby. Here, in the Land of Tea, they didn't have shinobi of their own, so they would generally hire out to Konoha. Inoue-san would be greeting them, along with Kaito and Natsuki.

During the next few hours, and Mitsuo could sense the ninja arrive, leave, then return. That was a thing he'd always been able to do, and he suspected from that, and other things, that he had been a shinobi at some point, before losing his eyes and memories. He was quite convinced of it, and even kept up his apparent training, mostly only with taijutsu, since he couldn't see a real, or dummy, opponent to practice on.

"Mitsuo!" He could hear Natsuki calling him. "Mitsuo! The shinobi are back! Father is already talking to them."

"That's good," Mitsuo said.

Natsuki giggled. "At least now we won't have to be worried about that gang attacking us anymore," she said. "Oh, do you want to come with me so I can check them out? Father said I wasn't to leave without someone accompanying me, and _you're_ definitely someone."

Mitsuo chuckled. "I think he meant someone who could _see_ and make sure you kept out of trouble," he teased her.

He could almost _feel_ her pouting. "That's mean, Mitsuo," she said, then grabbed his arm in hers. "Come on, you can make it up to me by escorting me!"

Mitsuo sighed, but allowed himself to be dragged away.

When they reached the area that the shinobi were, Mitsuo could _feel_ them. He frowned when he realised that there was something familiar about one of them. It frustrated him to no end that all his _familiar_ feelings over the years had been so far and few between. And now these shinobi were evoking the feeling? A feeling washed over him, like if he went there, he'd find answers. _Real_ answers. It terrified him, and he hated feeling that.

Before he could baulk and make Natsuki take him back, they were _there_ , and to his immense terror and delight, the familiar chakra flared in shock, and a voice choked out, " _Shisui_?"

OoOoO

It was a simple mission. Go in, deal with the bandits, collect payment, return to village. And yet, it turned out to be nothing like that.

Kakashi sighed. _Why him_? This was one of his last missions before taking over from Tsunade as Hokage, which was a prospect that was daunting him. How did he agree to that again? Oh right, he'd _promised Obito_.

"What are we going to do about him, Kakashi-sensei?" came Sakura's uncertain voice.

On this mission with him were Sai and Sakura, the latter of whom was looking at him worriedly. "Uchiha Shisui being alive is a big deal," Kakashi said. "Though his amnesia is… unfortunate, I'm sure that Tsunade-sama's orders will be to bring him back to the village."

"I could take a look at him," Sakura said. "See if there's anything physical or chakra related that could help. It's unlikely after this long, but…"

"Do it," Kakashi said. "Just as soon as Sai brings him back here."

The mission they'd been sent here for was already accomplished, but Shisui's presence was causing complications. Kakashi had already sent Pakkun to Konoha with a message, telling him to go top speed. Since then, Shisui had retreated to the home he lived in, and was refusing to see anyone. The village leader, Inoue Shinji, had gone with Sai to try to convince him to come out, though Kakashi was thinking that _he_ should have gone instead.

With that in mind, Kakashi stood and said, "Come with me, Sakura, we'll go see him right now."

Sakura let a small smirk flash across her lips. "Don't trust Sai to successfully bring him here, do you?" she ascertained.

"He's gotten so much better, but Sai still isn't the most personable… person. Besides, I knew Shisui a little before. That might help."

They headed off in the direction that Sai and Inoue-san had gone in, only to find them outside the house that Shisui had obviously retreated to, looking frustrated. "Mitsuo, would you just come out?" Inoue-san tried. "These people know you, and I _know_ you've always wanted to meet people who knew you, from before we found you all those years ago."

" _I'm not Mitsuo!_ " they heard Shisui yell. "But I'm not this… this… _Shisui_ either! And tell that stupid idiot that he can go stuff his _stupid_ name calling up his ass!"

Kakashi sighed. _Kami dammit, Sai!_ he bemoaned to himself.

"Sai you idiot!" Sakura yelled, whacking her team mate over the head. "What on earth did you say to him?"

"I was just trying to convey to him how much we value him by giving him a nickname," Sai said. "But he gave me a rather impressive glare for a blind man, and shut himself in that house."

Sakura whacked him again. "You idiot!" she yelled at him. "You've made things worse by doing that!"

"I'm sorry!" Sai cried, ducking away. "Please stop hitting me!"

Kakashi sighed. "Stop it you two," he said, then went over to the door. "Shisui, I'm sorry for Sai, and anything he said. He's quite a bit awkward with people, but I promise, we _are_ working on him. _Please_ , come out and talk to us."

After a moment, the door opened and a girl came out. Kakashi stepped back and raised a brow at her as she closed the door behind her and bowed shortly before saying, "Mitsuo, er, I mean, _Shisui_ is willing to come out and talk, as long as the one named Sai either leaves, or says absolutely _nothing_."

"We're willing to agree to those terms," Kakashi said, fixing Sai with a glare. "You _will_ be quiet, Sai."

"Yes, Kakashi-taichou," Sai agreed, then promptly buttoned up.

The door opened and Shisui carefully came out. Kakashi realised that his eyes were closed, and he wondered why, even as Sakura gasped beside him. "He's blind, sensei," she whispered next to him. "And I don't mean just that he can't see. _His eyes are missing_."

That, at least, fit with everything they knew, and everything that Sasuke had told them he'd seen in Itachi's memories just before his brother had died a second time as an Edo Tensei shinobi.

"If you've finished talking about me," Shisui said tightly, reminding them that his other senses were heightened due to his blindness, and he'd probably heard Sakura. "How about you tell me what you want with me?"

OoOoO

Mitsuo, or rather, _Shisui_ , felt rather relaxed when the kunoichi Sakura's chakra entered his system. There was something rather calming about having her chakra course through him, and he wondered if it was just her, or if all medic-nin chakra was like this.

"Did I know you before?" he asked.

"Er, no," she told him. "But my team mate is your cousin."

"You don't… mean that _Sai_ fellow, do you?" he asked, making a face.

She chuckled. "No," she told him. "My gennin team mate, Sasuke. He was an Uchiha, like you."

"Uchiha," Shisui, murmured, trying it out. "Uchiha."

"Does the name Uchiha ring any bells?" Sakura asked, but he shook his head.

"Not a single one," he admitted. "But… the name Sasuke… _that_ seems familiar."

"That's good," she said in a tone that had him suspecting that she was smiling. "At least that shows there's hope that you'll remember. And if we can get you back to the village, in familiar surroundings…"

Anyone else might have thought her trailing off was a good sign, but Shisui heard something in her voice that had him worried. "What is it?" he asked.

"Oh, um, it's nothing!" she said, and he could sense the fakeness of her tone. "Just keep still, I haven't finished my examination yet."

Shisui nodded and let her continue without speaking. When she finally retracted her chakra, she sighed and said, "Well, other than your amnesia and your blindness, you're in perfect health, Shisui-san."

Shisui grinned. "That's good to hear," he said, then asked hesitantly, "Could… could you tell me a bit about the village? Er, Konoha?"

OoOoO

When Sakura found her Captain, he was talking with Sai and that village leader, Inoue-san. "Ah, Sakura," Kakashi greeted her. "How is Shisui?"

"He's in perfect health," she said, smiling. "Other than the obvious, of course."

"Is he able to travel?" he asked. "Pakkun returned from delivering our message. Tsunade wants him to return home ASAP."

"Oh, absolutely," Sakura said, noting that Inoue-san seemed sad at this, though that was understandable, considering the bond he and his family had formed with Shisui over the years. "And sensei… I didn't say anything to him, but due to my examination, I'm confident that if we found some compatible eyes, either I, Shizune, or Tsunade-sama would be able to return his sight to him."

"Truly?" Inoue-san said, surprised and a little awed. "Even after all these years?"

"It would require a complicated series of surgeries to repair the muscle tissue, nerves, and the chakra network that leads to them," Sakura said, "but yes, it can be done."

Inoue-san smiled brightly. "That is… good," he said, then turned to Kakashi. "It will be dark soon, and I have arranged somewhere for you and your team to sleep. I'm sure you will want to leave straight away in the morning."

"Thank you," Kakashi said. "We appreciate it."

OoOoO

Kaito and Natsuki were before him, with the latter sobbing softly.

"Do you really have to go?" Natsuki cried.

"You've been like a brother to us," Kaito said. "We'll… we'll miss you, Mitsuo. Er, I mean, Shisui."

"And I'll miss you guys, too," Shisui told them. "But this is something I _have_ to do. By going with the Leaf ninja, I can find out who I really am."

"You're our big brother," Natsuki said stubbornly through her tears. "But… I hope you'll find everything that you're looking for."

The two of them hugged him, even as he heard Sakura's light step, and felt rather than heard, Kakashi arrive as well. Damn, that man was quiet.

"Are you ready, Shisui?" Kakashi asked, and Shisui nodded, pulling away from Kaito and Natsuki.

Once outside the village, Kakashi said, "Sai has created a large bird with his speciality jutsu. It will make it easier to get us back to the village as quick as possible."

The previous night, Kakashi had _made_ Sai apologise, and after some things that Sakura had told him about her team mate, Shisui had agreed to give him another chance. "Sakura can ride with you, so she can keep a medical eye on you" Sai said. "I'll guide the bird as Kakashi-taichou and I ride a second one. It will be faster that way, rather than simply running."

Shisui nodded and let Sakura lead him over to the bird, where she and another, probably Sai, helped him get on board. "Ready? Let's go then."

 **So, I have a vague idea of a plot, but it's already blooming as I write this. I don't intend for this to be a long fic,** **or even a really short one,** **but we'll see how it goes.**

 **R** **eview please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Brand new chapter! Yay! I wanted to get this finished before the internet was switched off and I went to bed. Twenty minutes to spare, oh yeah!**

 **Disclaimer that I don't own, and enjoy!**

 **Chapter Two**

The trip to Konoha was going to take them all day, then all that night, with them arriving some time in the morning.

That was what Sakura told him as they sat atop the strange bird that Sai had created. Shisui ran his hand over the back of the creature… It didn't _feel_ like a real bird. There were no feathers, the texture reminding him of that time he'd passed his hands over a canvas painting that Inoue-san had bought a few years ago. He could even still smell the remnants of the ink that had been used to create the beast.

"So," he said to Sakura. "Can you tell me a bit more about the village? Yesterday you told me a few things, but they were kinda basic, like the stuff a tourist might wanna know."

"What do you mean by that?" Sakura asked.

"Well," Shisui carefully searched for the right words. "You told me about the main landmarks of the village, like the Hokage monument, the tower, where the basic location of the market place is. But I'd like to hear about _your_ Konoha. What's your favourite place to relax? Can… can you tell me how the village looks when the sun's setting? And the smells in the food district you mentioned, too."

Sakura was silent a moment, then she sighed. "You know, I've never really thought of the village that way before," she admitted. "I mean, I know it's beautiful, and there was this stairway that led up to the perfect spot where you could take in the sight of the whole village, monument and all, that I loved going to. But it's not…"

A twinge of sadness, Shisui _heard_ it. "What is it?"

Sakura was silent for such a long time, he thought she wasn't going to say anything, but eventually she spoke, "A couple of years ago, the village was attacked and everything was decimated. That spot, my _favourite_ spot, no longer exists."

"What!? Who attacked it?" Were they going to _come back_?

"A man named Pein," Sakura told him. "He was the leader of the Akatsuki, at least on the surface. They're the ones who declared that war a year ago. But they're gone now."

"The… the war that caused that tree thing to pull everyone up into it?" he asked.

A moment silence, then she said, "I nodded, I'm sorry. I forgot a moment."

"It's fine," he told her.

"Did… did _you_ get pulled into the genjutsu?" she wondered.

"Uh, no," he told her. "I guess you need eyes for genjutsu to work, huh?"

"Most times."

They just sat there awhile, before she spoke again. "You know," Sakura observed, "you're quite well adjusted to being without sight. I've known some people who lost their vision, and none of them were as calm and accepting as you are."

"Well, I've had ten years, right?" Shisui reminded her. "Though in the beginning, I _was_ a belligerent little asshole to everyone."

Sakura giggled. "That makes a bit more sense," she told him. "But Inoue-san and his family, they were there for you, weren't they?"

"Yeah," Shisui said softly, remembering. "They put up with a lot of my crap back then. They're family to me, you know, and I'm really going to _miss_ them. But I hope that we'll meet again one day."

"I'm sure you will," Sakura told him, and her hand came to rest on his.

The two remained silent for a long while after.

OoOoO

Night had fallen now, not that Shisui could see that. But he could feel the cold, and he shivered.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked.

"It's just… cold," Shisui told her. "I'm afraid I didn't bring anything all that warm with me."

He felt her scoot closer, then her arms wrapped around his middle. "Here," she said. "I'll share some body warmth with you."

Shisui was _certain_ that his cheeks were red, but he leaned into her regardless, appreciating her concern as he carefully wrapped his own arms around her. A moment later, and Sakura giggled. "What? What is it?"

"Oh, it's nothing," she told him. "Kakashi-sensei just… whacked Sai over the head."

"Oh," he murmured. "I wonder why."

Sakura sighed. "He probably said something inappropriate about how close we are physically," she told him rather bluntly, and he felt his cheeks heat up once more. "Don't worry about it. As inept as Sai is, he undoubtedly gets why I moved closer."

"Why is he so… _inept_?" Shisui asked.

"Sai was… well, he was part of an organisation called ROOT," Sakura told him. "It was run by a former councillor, and the training program was incredibly _barbaric_. It was designed to eliminate emotions, to turn shinobi into the perfect weapon."

Okay, so now Shisui felt _sorry_ for Sai. "This ROOT isn't still there, is it?" he asked.

"The Hokage, Tsunade-shishou, properly disbanded it after the councilman died," Sakura reassured him. "The agents were all either retired, absorbed into regular ANBU, or admitted for psychological deprogramming. Those last ones tended to be more… loyal to Danzou. And _violent_ _ly_ so, at that."

Shisui stiffened at the name Danzou, a feeling of anger and resentment filling him, though he had no idea why. At least, not until the image of a man in bandages hit him, a hand outstretched, the sensation of pain in his right eye as it was plucked from his skull. The pain, the utter betrayal, was overwhelming him and he _couldn't breathe_.

Sakura was immediately alert, a hand on his face as she asked urgently, "What is it? What's wrong?"

He tried to speak, he really did, but Shisui was experiencing what he now realised was a panic attack. He hadn't had one of those in _years_. He struggled to control his breathing, clutching at his empty right eye socket, even as he felt Sakura's calming chakra wash over him, attempting to soothe his panic.

"Sakura! What's wrong?" he heard Kakashi call out.

"He's having a panic attack!" she called back, then implored, "Shisui, please listen to me. You need to _calm down_. You're safe, alright? I'm here for you."

"Do you want to land?" Sai called, and with Sakura as close as she was now, Shisui could _feel_ her shake her head.

"Just keep us going," she said. "I'll let you know if we need to stop."

Her attention returned to him, Sakura continued to use a combination of soothing chakra and vocal reassurances to bring him out of his anxiety, and soon enough, Shisui was calming down. Once he was past the worst of it, Sakura settled in next to him once more, arms wrapping around him and keeping him close. He took in deep, steadying breaths, until he felt he was past it.

"Do you want to talk about what triggered that?" she asked. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but…"

"It was that name," Shisui interrupted her, before he could let himself think about it. "The… the councillor. I had a memory, I think, of him. He was… stealing my eye, plucked it right out of its socket. Hurt like a bugger, too."

"Oh," Sakura said in a small voice. "We, uh… We had some intel that that was what happened, but I guess I never really thought about it, you know? But the guy's dead, so you don't need to worry about him ever again."

Shisui felt glad at that, then a thought occurred to him. "If you knew that," he asked, "then do you also know how I lost my left eye?"

OoOoO

Sakura glanced down at Shisui, who was now lightly snoring against her. She'd told him that he'd entrusted his remaining eye to a cousin of his, but that the full story should come from Sasuke, who knew more about it. That had been about an hour ago, and Shisui had fallen asleep not long after. His panic attack had exhausted him, and Sakura'd promised to make sure he didn't fall off while he slept.

The other bird glided over, and Kakashi asked, "How is he?"

Sakura sighed. "He should be fine," she told him. "We were talking about Sai, and I mentioned Danzou. He… he remembered him taking his eye, that's why he had the panic attack."

"I'm sorry," Sai said. "He's upset again because of me, even if it is indirectly."

"Don't apologise, there's no need," Sakura told her team mate, then frowned. "Just what did you call him yesterday that got him so upset, anyway?"

Sai blanched. "Uh, do I really have to say?" he asked nervously.

Kakashi whacked him over the head. "Just tell us," he ordered.

"Er… uh, I called him… Kangan-san."

Sakura's eye twitched, and she threw a kunai at him, which Kakashi effortlessly caught. "You idiot!" she snapped at him. "What the hell made you call him _that_?"

"It, uh, was a play on words!" Sai said shakily. "Because he has no eyeballs, I just…"

Sakura threw another kunai, but this time Kakashi _didn't_ stop it, and instead just let Sai dodge it. "Go and get my kunai, _Sai_!" Sakura ground out, then proceeded to ignore him for the rest of the night.

OoOoO

Sakura jerked awake as the large ink bird she was on began its descent. Shisui had woken once the sun had started to peek over the horizon, and he'd insisted that she get some sleep as well. Looking around, Sakura judged that she'd slept for four hours. Not too far away was the village wall, Sai was lowering them to the main road leading into the village.

"Good morning," Shisui said. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you for insisting I rest," Sakura told him, even as the bird landed.

She helped him descend until he was firmly on the ground. He let out a sigh and said, "As… _interesting_ as that trip was, I'm _really_ glad to be standing on solid ground now."

"Well, we're a ten minute walk from the main gate," Sakura told him. "Do you want to take my arm, or do you want me just to put my hand on your shoulder and guide you?"

"Er, whichever you think is best," Shisui said, and Sakura looped her arm through his.

"There's more physical support this way," she told him.

"Alright you lot," Kakashi said. "Let's get going."

"How are you feeling this morning?" Sakura asked as they walked. "Did you have any nightmares last night?"

"Eh, not really," Shisui told her. "Just a really weird one where there were all sorts of strange colours, partial images that I figure are leftover from when I could see. Though… There was _one_ thing that was clear."

"What was that?" Sakura asked.

"A pair of eyes," he told her. "I don't think they were normal eyes, they were red with some kind of pin-wheel-like design."

"Oh, that's the sharingan, your kekkei genkai," she told him. "Sasuke could tell you more about that."

"I have a kekkei genkai? Cool." Shisui grinned down at her, and Sakura couldn't help but smile.

"It's a visual doujutsu," she told him, noting his sudden frown.

"Is that why he… _Danzou…_ stole my eye?" he asked. "Because of this sharingan?"

"…Yes," Sakura said simply, and Shisui didn't push it further.

Soon enough, the gates came into view. Waiting there was Tsunade, arms crossed over her ample chest.

"Well, the Hokage comes out to greet us herself," Kakashi said. "It's an honour, Tsunade-sama."

"Cut the crap, Hatake," Tsunade snapped, then looked over at Shisui. "Sakura, to what extent have you examined him?"

"I did a complete examination the other day," she replied, and Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the man whose grip on Sakura's arm was now incredibly tight.

Turning to the other two, Tsunade ordered, "Kakashi, Sai, go get started on your reports. I expect to see them _as soon as_ you've finished them. Sakura, Shisui, the two of you come with me. We're going _straight_ to the hospital."

Kakashi and Sai took off immediately, and Sakura led Shisui through the streets, following her shishou. "Have you told Sasuke yet?" she asked.

"No," was the simple answer. "I wanted to confirm this Uchiha's identity for myself first. No offence, brat."

"Er… none taken?"

Once they arrived at the hospital, Tsunade led them straight up to a private room, which Sakura had no doubt she'd had waiting for them once she'd received the news. "Alright, up here on the examination bed, Uchiha, so I can give you a check-up."

Sakura helped Shisui up, then stepped back and watched her mentor work. The exam was over quickly, but then Tsunade started scribbling notes rather furiously, and Sakura could guess why. She'd noted the very real promise of being able to restore Shisui's sight as well.

Sitting up on the examination bed, Shisui looked rather lost, and Sakura had to stop herself from going over to pat his hand reassuringly. Instead she just stood there, waiting for Tsunade to be done. Finally, the Godaime stood from where she'd sat down and 'looked' at Sakura.

"I'm assuming you noticed it too," she stated, and Sakura nodded.

"Noticed what?" Shisui asked. "What is it?"

"Uchiha!" Tsunade barked. "The damage and subsequent neglect to your eyes is atrocious, but with your permission, we can heal all that damage and, with a transplant, return your sight. It's up to you, what do you want?"

Shisui's jaw unhinged, and Sakura just sighed at her shishou's bluntness.

 **I've never had a panic attack, so I hope I described it okay.**

 **Review please!**

 _Kangan: Eunuch, Google translation._


End file.
